1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to artificial nails such as fingernails and toenails. More specifically, this invention relates to artificial nails with three dimensional features.
2. Background
Artificial nails are a well known and popular cosmetic item that are readily available for home use or professional application at salons, boutiques and drug stores. Artificial nails are commonly made of a plastic material such as acrylic. Artificial nails may be a solid color. Some artificial nails are first adhered to a nail and nail polish is then applied to the artificial nail.
To add a sense of style, fingernails and toenails, both natural and artificial may be embellished not just by nail polish, but by various other techniques. These techniques include painting designs or highlights on the fingernail, affixing decals and applying other applique to the fingernail, affixing or embedding faux gemstones on the fingernail, etc. Some techniques are quite involved. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,610 issued to Yuko Orsini entitled xe2x80x9cPhotographic Imprinting of Artificial Fingernailsxe2x80x9d teaches a method for making artificial fingernails in which a single photograph spans each of the nails in a set of ten nails, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,999 issued to Ho Choong Kim entitled xe2x80x9cMethod of Decorating A Finger Nailxe2x80x9d teaches a method for extracting images obtained from a magazine and applying them to fingernails. Further examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,088 issued to Robert E. House entitled xe2x80x9cFinger Jewelsxe2x80x9d which teaches a method for making decorative imitation jewels and applying them with an adhesive to a fingernail. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,876,121 and 4,898,192 issued to Allen L. Cohen entitled xe2x80x9cCosmetic Artificial Nailsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cHolographic False Nails,xe2x80x9d respectively, teach providing an illusion of length with artificial nails that include moirxc3xa9 patterns and holographic images.
An artificial nail having a three dimensional feature. The three dimensional feature may be a three dimensional representation of any known or imagined person, place or thing. In one embodiment, the three dimensional feature may have a protrusion that is graspable. The protrusion may be used to assist in placing the artificial nail onto a fingernail or toenail. In one embodiment, the artificial nail may include a tool or writing implement that may be extendible/retractable, movable and/or rotatable. In another embodiment, the artificial nail may include removably attached three dimensional features. In yet another embodiment, the three dimensional feature may include hair. In another embodiment, the three dimensional feature may include a sound emitter or be designed to emit sound. In still another embodiment, the three dimensional feature may be plush or made from fabric. In a further embodiment, the artificial nail may include a power source and a light emitter to emit light from a portion of the three dimensional feature.